Actress Sienna Miller has shared her thoughts on what makes a true Casanova ahead of the world premiere of Lasse Hallstrom’s new comedy at the Venice Film Festival.
“Casanova is an intriguing character, he’s magnetic. And I think that’s what women are drawn to.
“Women are interested in men, men are interested in women – Casanovas or not Casanovas,” said Miller, whose on-off romance with actor Jude Law has been the subject of much recent tabloid speculation following his dalliance with his children’s nanny.
“Personally I’ve met a few Casanovas that I’ve liked, and a few that I haven’t,” added the 23-year-old actress, still noticeably without her engagement ring.
Actress Sienna Miller has joked about her own troubled love life at the launch of her new film Casanova at the Venice Film Festival.
The 23-year-old appears with rising Australian star Heath Ledger, 26, who plays the fabled serial womaniser.
Miller found herself in the tabloid spotlight after her ex-fiance Jude Law admitted an affair with his nanny.
“I’ve met a few Casanovas that I’ve liked, and a few that I haven’t – and I hope to meet some more,” she said.
Miller broke off their engagement after news of Law’s affair broke, and appeared at the Venice press conference without her engagement ring.
In director Lasse Hallstrom’s film, Ledger’s Casanova falls for a woman who spurns him, played by Miller, whose last role was in 1960s remake Alfie.
Ledger has already won plaudits at Venice for his role as as a cowboy trying to come to terms with his homosexuality in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, which is appearing in competition at Venice.
[b]‘Working holiday’[/b]
He told the press Casanova was a “working holiday” in comparison with Brokeback Mountain.
Hallstrom, whose film credits include Chocolat and The Cider House Rules, said he aimed to make his Casanova a lighter film than its predecessors.
Lasse Hallstrom (left) wanted to make a more light-hearted film.
“Obviously, this is a romp, this is a comedy. We’ve taken a lot of liberties but we’ve tried to stay true to the atmosphere of Venice at the time,” he said.
“Casanova had a true understanding of women. He could get into the minds of women and see to their needs. That’s what we’ve kept in the film.”
The movie, which is screening out of competition, is due out in the US at Christmas, and the UK in February.
Set in 18th Century Venice, Hallstrom was given access to some of the city’s most famous sites, including St Mark’s Square and the Doges’ Palace.
“We were allowed into places that nobody has ever been allowed to shoot before,” Hallstrom said.
“It was like shooting a movie inside a museum,” Ledger added.
The real Casanova, who boasted relationships with more than 100 women in his memoirs, was the son of actors and rubbed shoulders with luminaries such as Russia’s Catherine the Great and French philosopher Voltaire.
But plagued by venereal disease from an early age, Casanova died in exile, having fled Venice’s Piombi prison.
Sienna is in Venice! So far we have pictures of her arriving/going to the photocall, and at the Casanova Photocall. See the pictures as they are added here, and lots more will be added throughout the day so keep checking back 
Actress Sienna Miller is due to appear at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday to launch her new film, Casanova.
The 23-year-old stars opposite rising Australian star Heath Ledger, 26, who plays the fabled serial womaniser.
In director Lasse Hallstrom’s version, Ledger’s Casanova falls for a woman who spurns him, played by Miller, whose last role was in 1960s remake Alfie.
The movie, which is screening out of competition, is due out in the US at Christmas, and the UK in February.
Hallstrom, whose film credits include Chocolat and The Cider House Rules, has said he aimed to create a more contemporary, youthful, and true-to-life Casanova.
Set in 18th Century Venice, Hallstrom was given access to some of the city’s most famous sites, including St Mark’s Square and the Doges’ Palace.
“Apart from its huge entertainment value, it is also an act of love for the city of Venice,” festival director Marco Mueller said earlier this week.
“It is the only important film almost entirely shot in our city in the past 50 years. There has not been another film that has sung the beauty of Venice in the same way.”
The real Casanova, who boasted relationships with more than 100 women in his memoirs, was the son of actors and rubbed shoulders with luminaries such as Russia’s Catherine the Great and French philosopher Voltaire.
But plagued by venereal disease from an early age, Casanova died in exile, having fled Venice’s Piombi prison.
Venice’s most infamous libertine is coming home to seduce the lagoon city as a sly but likeable charmer in Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom’s “Casanova,” set to have its premiere at the film festival on Saturday.
Filmed on Venice’s warren-like streets and winding canals, “Casanova” portrays the 18th century lothario, played by Australian Heath Ledger, as a young adventurer with a heart who falls for the one girl who refuses his affection.
Sienna Miller plays the object of Casanova’s desire, a spirited would-be philosopher who is promised in marriage to a merchant cousin who made his fortune selling lard.
The film, screening out of competition, takes a light-hearted approach to the Casanova myth, far from the darker, psychologically intense renderings of directors including Federico Fellini with his legendary 1976 movie, also screening at the festival.
Another classic Italian version, director Steno’s “Adventures of Giacomo Casanova,” was so heavily censored in 1955 that 500 metres (1,640 feet) of the bawdy film were chopped off.
In Hallstrom’s version, a dashing Casanova leaps improbably from roof to roof to escape the Inquisition’s henchmen and, aided by his comic servant, does the impossible to get his girl, against the picturesque backdrop of the Venice Carnival.
Jeremy Irons, who starred in last year’s “Merchant of Venice,” plays an evil envoy from Rome, sent to chase down the debauched Casanova.
Hallstrom, whose film credits include crowd-pleaser “Chocolat” and the Oscar-nominated “The Cider House Rules,” has said he aimed to create a more contemporary, youthful and true-to-life Casanova.
Venetians, whose city has inspired classics including Luchino Visconti’s “Death in Venice,” have taken the new tribute to their hearts, and there was public outcry when piracy concerns curtailed plans for an open air screening at Venice’s historic St Mark’s square.
In exchange, a lucky few will grace a themed party at the historic Doges’ palace with the cast including Ledger, who has lead roles in two separate films in competition for Venice’s 2005 Golden Lion.
“Apart from its huge entertainment value, (Hallstrom’s Casanova) is also an act of love for the city of Venice,” festival director Marco Muller told Reuters earlier this week.
“It is the only important film almost entirely shot in our city in the past 50 years. There has not been another film that has sung the beauty of Venice in the same way.”
The real Casanova, who boasted relationships with more than 100 women in his memoirs, was the son of actors.
Through an extraordinary life made of fortunes lost and found, he was a seminarian, writer, violinist, soldier and spy, rubbing shoulders with luminaries such as Russia’s Catherine the Great and French philosopher Voltaire.
Plagued by venereal disease from an early age, Casanova died in exile, having fled Venice’s dreaded “Piombi” prison.
The pregnant pop princess Britney Spears has topped for the second year in succession a magazine poll for “fashion sinner”.
According to People.com, the poll was conducted by a US weekly.
Her husband Kevin Federline joins Spears on top of the list. Nicole Richie has topped the list of the top fashion winners.
The list of Top 10 winners is: 1. Nicole Richie, 2. Jessica Simpson, 3. Jessica Alba, 4. Mischa Barton, [b]5. Sienna Miller[/b], 6. Oprah Winfrey, 7. Lindsay Lohan, 8. Kate Hudson, 9. Halle Berry, 10. Eva Longoria.
The list of Top 10 sinners is: 1. Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, 2. Mariah Carey, 3. Kelly Osbourne, 4. Nicollette Sheridan, 5. Paula Abdul, 6. Patricia Arquette, 7. Mary-Kate Olsen, 8. Pamela Anderson, 9. Julia Roberts, 10. Venus and Serena Williams.
Well a big thanks must go to Mariana for making us caps from South Kensington! Sienna only has a small role so there are 76 caps in total and they’re pretty good quality. Mariana also sent me some new recent candids, including a few of Sienna arriving at the theatre yesterday. Please go and show her some love for her wonderful contributions I have ALSO added other HQ candids, and HQs from Movielines Hollywood Life Breakthrough Awards, American Idol Finale, Women to Women: Positively Speaking launch, Layer Cake premiere and the Cold Mountain LA Premiere. I have a few more magazine scans to add later so look out for them…
Props to Helen and Lorna for some really great pictures that I’ve just added! Lorna has sent me various scans from As You Like it including a beautiful poster, and Helen has sent me scans from a couple of recent issues of Russian Hello. So a big thanks to you two for these pictures
As you may have noticed, we have a new news system. This one makes it much easier to post, archive and organise the news and updates. A short version of the news/update will appear on the main page, and you can read the full post by clicking the ‘read more’ link. And of course there is still the comments feature which hopefully you will continue using :tongue:
Welcome back! S-O.org is back after the short downtime due to bandwidth. Today we’ve been catching up with the candids, and tons have been added. Unfortunately, I’ve also had to remove some pictures due to copyright issues – not that many but it’s still a shame to have to remove any at all. I have a bunch of magazine scans to add soon, and I also have an uber-cool treat for you courtesy of Mariana! Sienna is expected to attend the Venice Film Festival on Saturday to promote Casanova – there will probably be a Photocall/Press Conference and Premiere, so there will be lots of new pics to look forward to then :p
